The present disclosure relates to a generator and, in particular, to a main rotor of a generator.
Typically, a generator includes a rotor having a plurality of windings (made up of electrically conductive wires) wrapped around elongated poles on a rotor core. The rotor is driven to rotate by a source of rotation: a prime mover such as a turbine rotor. The generator rotor rotates in proximity to a stator, and the rotation of the rotor, which is an electromagnet due to electricity running through the windings, induces voltage in the stator. The voltage in the stator can be applied to external electrical components, providing electrical power to those components. During operation, the generator rotor rotates at very high speeds, creating centrifugal forces on the poles and windings that may cause the wires of the windings on the poles to become displaced.
In order to prevent movement of the windings, improve the strength and reliability of the generator rotor, and minimize the amount of imbalance in the generator rotor that may result from movement of the windings, wedges may be inserted in between neighboring poles on the rotor core. The wedges serve as a physical barrier between poles to prevent movement of the wires of the windings and stiffen the whole rotor structure by provide a support structure between poles. Because the generator rotor rotates at very high speeds, it is important that the wedges are light (i.e., low mass) and durable while also being simple to construct and install.